


Muzzled

by LittleLalaith



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Anal Sex, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Feral Behavior, Feral!Nines, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Muzzles, Oral Sex, Restraints, Riding, Sharp Teeth Nines, Trust
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-07
Updated: 2020-11-07
Packaged: 2021-03-08 23:00:59
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 18,186
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27424621
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LittleLalaith/pseuds/LittleLalaith
Summary: Following the Android Uprising, Gavin addresses his prejudices and retrains as a specialized 'Android Rehabilitation' expert. He's called in to help deviant or traumatized androids to recover and find their place in society... but he's never had a challenge like this one.RK900 is a military kill-droid that was purpose built for mindless slaughter. But with enough patience and an amount of trust only really possible to the foolhardy... maybe he can help 'Nines to rehabilitate too.And if Nines happens to reciprocate Gavin's obvious attraction, then all the better.
Relationships: Upgraded Connor | RK900/Gavin Reed
Comments: 48
Kudos: 285
Collections: Reed900 Reverse Big Bang





	1. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to Clarissy for the wonderful artwork in Chapter 10 and for inspiring this fic!  
> I had so much fun writing this for you!

As Gavin stepped into the dimly lit Unit Containment room, he took a moment to brace himself for the inevitable. He’d heard stories about the murderous RK900 unit that they’d been given for pursuits and threat neutralising scenarios, though few of the tales had been good. Rumour had it, the military android had mauled his previous handler and caused more than $40,000 worth of damage to the androids that were sent in to subdue him. He hadn’t responded favourably to any attempts at remote reprogramming and had posed a significant risk to any of the technicians who had tried to examine his hardware... 

As a last ditch effort, the SWAT team had called in Gavin. Since the fiasco with the RK800 unit a few years ago, he’d worked on addressing his biases and attended seminars on android-human workplace integration. He’d enlisted himself in additional training and revisited some of the formal training procedures surrounding android behaviour and rehabilitation. In short, he’d specialised. With the support of Connor and Fowler, Gavin had refined his skills and carved a niche for himself in the DPD workforce, operating as a behavioural specialist for deviant and dangerous androids. But even with all that training, he was going to have his work cut out for him when it came to the RK900.. 

Looking around the containment room, Gavin was reassured to see that the officers had followed his instructions. The RK900 unit was positioned at the far end of the room, at the furthest point from the door, and was forced to either sit or kneel due to the short chain that looped through twin metal rings set into the chassis of his ankles. His hands were bound together at the wrist with reinforced mannacles; a limiting length of chain ran between each cuff and down through a winch that had been bolted into the ground. Most importantly, the android had been muzzled.

“Well, well, well. Look what we have here,” Gavin chirped, making an effort to seem unintimidated. He knew that, to a certain extent, it was pointless to lie; the RK900 could no doubt track his heart rate, his blood pressure, his temperature, his rate of breathing, all without having to waste much processing power. But the lie was just as much for Gavin’s benefit as the android’s. 

At the sound of Gavin’s voice, the android’s head snapped up and he lunged to the end of his chains, snarling and gnashing an impressive set of teeth. Even at this distance, distorted by the muzzle, Gavin could see the exaggerated fangs that protruded from the android’s mouth. He stood his ground, watching as the android manipulated the chains so that one arm could stretch further than the other, making as much noise as possible in an attempt to frighten Gavin off. But he knew better. The RK900 was securely restrained and no amount of shouting could change that.

“Alright, alright. Enough of the amateur dramatics,” Gavin chided. “Quit your yelling and let’s get a look at you.”

He paced closer, stepping into the android’s personal space but making sure to keep within the ‘safe zone’ marked into the floor with tape. If the training went well, Gavin might need to step over the boundary line and interact with the android on a more personal level, but for now it was the only thing between him and the android’s industrial-strength grip.

“Chief tells me that you’ve been a very bad boy,” Gavin informed him, teasing a little to measure his reaction. But the android kept steely grey irises fixed on his, refusing to offer any other expression than vocalised fury. Gavin continued, talking over the shouts, “Here’s what’s gonna happen, RK900. I’m going to come in here every single day, and we’re gonna work on your social skills. Fangs like a barracuda and superhuman strength are only useful to the DPD if you can be trusted to use your power appropriately.”

Gavin took a moment to really take stock of the android he’d be working with, impressed with his design. He was bigger than his predecessor, the RK800; broader across the chest and shoulders, taller. His hair was almost identical, except where the straps of the muzzle pushed it into a state of disarray. Liquid silver eyes that seemed to simultaneously burn with intensity and freeze over with robotic apathy, but the most chilling detail of all were the dual sets of razor-like teeth. As Gavin’s gaze lowered to the android’s lips, the RK900 bared his almost-canine set of fangs, his lip twitching upwards in one final snarl before he slipped into an unnerving quiet. Gavin huffed a breathy laugh, nodding a little as he came to understand how the android had been able to do so much damage. 

“Here’s the thing, RK900. And I need you to listen to me very carefully here,” Gavin started, crouching to get down to the android’s level. He waited until the android’s eyes were fixed on his before continuing, he needed the RK900 to understand this next part. “I’m gonna come in here every day; weekdays and weekends, regardless of whether I’m on shift or not. Because I’m making a commitment to helping you… do you understand that? I’m here because I’m trying to help you. And I expect you to work with me so that we can get some results. I know it isn’t as easy as just flipping a switch and changing your whole personality or shutting off your impulses. It takes work, and that’s why I’m here. So, can I expect you to work with me on this?”

The android didn’t react for a long moment, his indifferent gaze scanning along Gavin’s throat and a primal smile ticked at the corner of his mouth. Gavin felt a flush of heat rise to his ears as he thought about those fangs at his throat, part of it fear… part of it not. A twisted and depraved part of his mind captured the image and kept it playing in the back of his mind. The strong, solid mass of the android at his back, hands on hips, teeth grazing threatening over his shoulder, his neck… He swallowed and pushed the image hastily aside, needing to focus.Seemingly oblivious to Gavin’s lapse in focus, the RK900 just huffed and looked away, an arrogant expression printed into his features. 

“Listen, it’s your choice, buddy. But if you don’t work with me on this, if you don’t at least try to get a better grasp on your instincts, then you’re going to the scrap heap. Plain and simple.” 

Gavin let that sink in for a moment, allowing the seconds to stretch out into minutes. As much as the android tried to shrug off the threat, he kept bringing a cautious gaze back to the detective. Gavin watched him, waiting; letting the thought play on his mind - he had nothing else to say, nothing to add. Either the RK900 would try to curb his prey-drive or he would be dismantled; there were no compromises, no negotiations. Try, or die. 

A minute passed, then another. Gavin waited, watching the thought weigh on the android for a full four minutes before the RK900 gave a miniscule nod. Gavin smiled and took a small step back, rewarding the android with a little more personal space. “Alright then. So, here’s where the hard part starts. You’re gonna hate me by the time we’re done here; you’re gonna want to sink those pretty pearls of yours into my fucking jugular. But if I’ve done my job right… you won’t. And if I think you’re being good for me, I may even put my money where my mouth is and let you test that control without chains.”

At the mention of being let loose, the android’s pupils blew wider and Gavin made a mental note. This android had been kept in forced stasis or been heavily restrained since his first ‘attack’ activation at the Cyberlife Tower. Made sense that freedom would appeal to him, but Gavin had to be careful; he could also be excited by the thought of tearing the detective’s throat out. In fact, he probably was… it was how he had been programmed. 

While doing his prep for this case, Gavin had learned that Cyberlife built this subset of RK900 units as ‘berserker’ models. While the majority of the marketed RK900-01 series were designed to act as basic infantry, the RK900-02 series had been designed with a far less disciplined mental template. They were designed to be deployed into a battlefield and focus exclusively on the destruction of enemy troops, killing with a feral delight until their handler activated the ‘call back’ command. Upon hearing the command, they were supposed to retreat to their handler and enter a calm, passive state… only this one didn’t. This one had returned to his handler and all but torn her arm out at the socket. 

All of a sudden, Gavin was starting to question his life choices.


	2. Chapter 2

“Morning Canines,” Gavin greeted, coming into the room and placing his coffee cup on the little side table by the door. He took the time to remove his laces, his hoodie strings, any items from his pockets, and set them all on the table. He had been very careful to leave his firearm in the armoury, not wanting to push his luck any more than necessary. Once he was sure that he had nothing on him that could be used as a weapon, Gavin walked over to the snarling android and sat himself cross legged in front of him. 

The android’s sounds of outrage gradually faded out into a low growl, the sound was thick and inhuman; like gears grinding beneath gravel. Gavin waited, focusing on his own breathing so that he didn't get spooked by the sound. The android was restrained. The RK900 was growling because he was unable to do any physical harm and growling was the next best thing. So, Gavin waited. 

Eventually, the RK900 stopped and gave a frustrated huff. He was baring his teeth again, long fangs overlapping to create a predatory grin. 

"The Cyberlife techs tell me that you don't have any verbal vocabulary," Gavin went on, using the android's vocalisation as a way to start working with him. "I bet that's frustrating, not being able to ask for the things you want. Not being able to express your thoughts… you understand me though, don't you?" 

The android was looking away, focusing his gaze on the table by the door. Intimidation tactics, Gavin thought. The android wanted Gavin to follow his gaze, to look away, so that he could lunge forward and scare him. Alright. He'd call the bluff. 

Gavin sighed and turned his whole upper body to look at the table behind him. After a moment, there was a savage snarl of metal and human-like shouting, and the android surged forward to the limits of his chains. Gavin scratched at his nose and slowly turned back around to face the android, registering the fade from performative savagery to genuine frustration. He watched the android's eyebrows lower, his shark-like grin turn down at the corners, and saw his steely eyes narrow with hatred. 

"Listen, Canines. I've been doing this job a long time, so cut the crap. There's nothing that your pre-programmed social processors can dream up that I haven't already seen from a thousand other perps and androids. So sit still and fucking listen, ok?" 

The RK900 actually pouted. And it took everything Gavin had to keep from smiling. The android was capable of sulking which meant that he was capable of complex social responses like disappointment and had a sense of 'fairness'. That was good. He could use that. 

"When you're good for me and you try to do as I say, you will get treats. But I can't give you something you like if I don't know what you want." Gavin explained, reaching into his pocket for the three paper circles he'd prepared. "So, I'm going to put these circles on the floor within your reach. If you destroy them, you'll be breaking your only method of communication with me and I'll take that as a sign that you don't want to communicate… so I won't make more. Do you understand?" 

The android regarded him for a long moment, then nodded. Gavin was pleased to note that he was responding to questions faster now, communicating a little more openly. Even if his body language was hostile. 

"Good, thank you. Now the green dot is for 'yes'. Red dot is for 'no'. And the white dot is for 'something else'," Gavin explained, placing the dots on the ground and sliding them into the RK900s reach; he was careful to keep his hands just outside of the android’s arm length, just in case. "Do you understand?" 

The android nodded, then frowned when Gavin didn't respond. He rolled his eyes and slapped a hand onto the green dot. Gavin smiled and relaxed his posture. "Thank you. Now, sometimes I'll give you some different options and I'll tell you what the colours mean. But if I don't specify, then they'll mean yes, no and something else. For example, I want to know what you like. I want to help you feel more comfortable while we're working together, but I don't know what you want. So, I'll give you some options that have worked with other androids and you can pick."

Gavin knew that the RK900 was probably a little frustrated with the simplicity of the communication, but that was sort of the point. The dots gave the RK900 a way of communicating reactively, but gave him no way to proactively express his thoughts. By forcing his social systems to create vocabulary or communicate through gestures, he would be encouraging the android to rely on social protocols instead of combat ones. 

"Green is physical contact. Red is a safe stimulus toy when we finish the sessions," Gavin explained. He wasn't particularly surprised when Nines patted the white dot. Gavin nodded to show that he understood. "Green is visual stimulus when we finish a session, like a movie or a show. Red is audio stimulus, like music."

Again, the android planted his hand over the white dot. Gavin could see the mixture of tension and activity in his muscles, desperation and frustration starting to set in. 

"Green is a longer chain," the android lifted his hand and started to move it to the green dot, but he stopped as Gavin gave him the second option. "Red is a taste." 

The RK900 stopped, looking at Gavin in confusion. He didn't have the words to ask questions, only mute expressions of inquiry. Gavin smiled and took something else from his pocket. 

"Have you ever tasted vanilla, Canines?" He asked, showing him the little bottle of vanilla extract. "Try to imagine vanilla. You can't, right? Your memory banks don't hold that kind of information because you're not programmed to cook. But you can taste things, can't you? If you like, I'll bring a different taste to each session and you can tell me which ones you like best… or, you could have something else."

The android considered this for a long minute, looking between the chains and the bottle. Gavin could almost see the thought process, measuring the value of a few extra inches of movement against new experiences. Despite being designed for combat, all androids held a passionate curiosity and were driven by opportunities to learn. It was how Gavin had managed to rehabilitate a particularly aggressive PL600 unit a few months back. 

Eventually, the android's hand landed on the red marker. Gavin grinned and stood up slowly. "Alright, tastes it is" he announced, unscrewing the cap. "And you've been really good today. That little jump scare and some growling aside, you listened to me and did what I asked so that we could communicate. So, you get your reward."

But now Gavin had a dilemma on his hands. Because tastes involved mouths, and mouths tended to involve teeth. The only way he would be able to give the RK900 some of the vanilla extract would be to get closer. 

"Sit nice and still, and tilt your head up. I'm not removing the muzzle but I'll put the pipette over the bar and drop some onto your tongue. Can I trust you to let me do that? Will you let me give you a reward?" 

The RK900 tapped the green dot, tipping his head up and opening his mouth for the treat. His tongue rested wet and pink against his lower teeth and Gavin's gaze fixed on the contrast of soft flesh to pointed enamel. He stood a few paces away from the android and reached across the gap, resting the pipette on the muzzle. He squeezed a drop onto his tongue and withdrew his hand quickly, watching as the android processed the taste. He worked his mouth around the taste, his teeth flashing between his lips. 

"Good?" Gavin asked, relieved when the android tapped for 'yes'. "Alright. You've done really well today. I think that's enough for now. I'll be back tomorrow and we can discuss your prey drive."


	3. Chapter 3

Over the next couple of days, Gavin made daily visits to the RK900; keeping the sessions short, rewarding the android with drops of vanilla essence, peppermint oil, almond extract and aniseed. He wasn't sure whether the android would like aniseed but had been both surprised and delighted to find that the android made a pleased sound and had demanded more. Of course, Gavin made him work for it, but he was pleased by how the android was starting to rely on social protocols instead of physical ones. 

However, no rehabilitation was without its hiccups, and Gavin faced the first major issue approximately a week after he had started working with Nines. 

As he stepped into the precinct, Miller stopped him in the corridor and explained that the RK900 was unstable and couldn't be approached. Something had set him into a rage and he had been screaming, straining and lashing out for almost seven full hours. Gavin frowned, more concerned than afraid. Something like that didn't just come from nowhere… but he would have to be careful. If RK900 was too worked up to communicate, Gavin would be relying purely on instinct and body language. 

Sure enough, as he stepped into the room, he was met with the feral roar of a mechanical voice and grating metal - it was chilling, but it paled in comparison to the sight of a 6'5ft murder-bot straining at every chain to get at him from the other side of the room. He was crazed, his pupils contracted to pinpoints in their pools of mercury fury. His movements were jerky, instinctive. Gavin set all of his items on the table as normal and approached carefully. 

"Hey 'nines…" he greeted, raising his hands palm outward to show that he was unarmed. "Easy now, buddy. It's ok… I'm here. Whatever you need, we can get it sorted for you, but you need to calm down. Ok?"

The RK900 didn't appear to hear him, or at least he didn't seem to acknowledge anything that Gavin had said. He was too busy straining against the chains; Gavin could hear the creak of his chassis as he tried to pull his ankles loose from their mooring. Gavin weighed up his options carefully:

If he walked away and waited for the android to calm down, he could be waiting for weeks. It would cause immeasurable damage to the progress they'd made and would cost them the vague semblance of trust that they'd developed over the last few days. But it was the safest option. 

Gavin could sit with him and wait for the rage to finish, but again it could be days and Gavin would eventually need to leave the room for food, sleep or the bathroom. 

The only other option was the most dangerous one. He could try to offer comfort and see if he could work out the source of the android's rage.

He took a long moment to calculate the length of the chains and was reassured to see that the RK900 couldn't reach his own face (something that prevented him from removing his muzzle), which meant that, if he reached down from above, he could potentially stroke the android's hair… but that would mean being close enough in front of him that the android might be able to reach him, and the RK900 had longer arms than him. He would be able to pull Gavin in and use his strength to cause a lot of damage… 

"Hey, come on. 'Nines…" he tried to soothe. "I'm just gonna shorten up your wrist restraints, but I promise it's to help you, not to punish you." 

He wanted to talk the RK900 through his thought process so that he wouldn't get scared or enraged. Approaching a panel on the wall, Gavin pressed the button to shorten the restraints and waited until they were all but pinning Nines' hands to the ground. The android never stopped screaming, roaring and bellowing as though in pain, and it took all Gavin had not to let him have more chain.

"Easy, easy, it's ok, 'Nines…" he uttered, approaching again. It was safer now, and Gavin could stand directly in front of the seething android without being grabbed. He sat in front of the RK900 and slowly reached out to touch his hair. 

At first, the android that Gavin had come to think of as Canines, or 'Nines, just thrashed wildly at the touch and screamed louder. But Gavin persisted, smoothing down his hair and settling it between the muzzle straps. "Hey… Nines… look, it's ok. I'm not going to hurt you. I'm just trying to calm you down… see? Just nice slow strokes… does that feel nice?" 

For a long while, Nines just kept screaming, twisting and straining at his chains. But Gavin persisted, scratching gently near his ears, running his fingertips under the muzzle straps to make sure they weren't digging in too much. He had no idea how androids processed things like discomfort, but he figured it was worth a try. As he worked, the android's LED flashed a frantic strobe of red… but as Gavin's fingertips brushed along the base of Nines' skull, the light flashed green. Just for a moment, just a single blink of green before returning to red. 

Gavin frowned slightly and repeated the motion, his fingertips lingering over the space as Nines' LED blinked green again. It stayed green for longer this time, the screams easing off to growls and snarls as Gavin tried to locate the exact space Nines wanted him to feel. He watched the LED carefully, moving his fingertips a little lower, closer to the center of his neck, and then he drew his hand back with a pained yelp. 

There had been a spark, or a kind of small electrical shock. 

"Oh shit. Nines, it's ok. I'm on the same page now, I'll have a look," he reassured, changing his position a little so that he could look at Nines' neck. Where the muzzle had been rubbing against a seam in his chassis, it had created a small space and a wire had gotten caught between the panels. Over time, Nines' movements had severed the cable. 

"I'm going to be right back. Don't worry, I won't leave you like this, but I need to get some tools, ok?" He asked, but he waited until he caught the green flash of Nines' LED to show he understood. "That's good. That's really good, Nines. I'll be right back."

Hurrying to the supply closet, Gavin found a small electronics kit and rushed back to Nines' side. He knew that it was risky to bring tools close to the android, but he didn't see how Nines would be able to hurt him while his hands were bound and his muzzle was on. Showing Nines the tools as he worked and being sure to wear rubber gloves, Gavin removed the upper panel of the RK900's exposed chassis and stripped the wire. He repaired it as best he could and re-dressed the wire with electrical tape before replacing the chassis. 

As it clicked into place, the snarls and growling finally stopped. Gavin hadn't realised how loud Nines had been until the silence rang around the room. 

He set the tools out of reach by the door and went to the wall panel, loosening Nines' chains so that he could sit comfortably. "There we go, Nines. All done… does that feel better?" 

Immediately, the android patted the green dot, bringing his other hand up to try and touch the back of his neck. However the chains proved too short and he growled with irritation.

"It's all fixed up, don't worry. I can't loosen the chains anymore, otherwise you could remove your muzzle," Gavin explained, sitting in front of him. He took the aniseed oil from his pocket and offered Nines a drop, meeting the android's skeptical look with a smile. "You showed me what was wrong by using your LED; that was good communication so you get a reward." 

Nines frowned and pulled the chains taught, gesturing and giving a short growl. Gavin didn't understand at first, thinking that Nines wanted looser chains instead, but he clicked and shook his head. 

"It's ok. You were hurt and no-one was helping you, that's bound to make anyone lash out. Besides, you can't help it if you're programmed to respond to injury with violence," Gavin reasoned. "I'm glad that you tried to communicate your needs, and you're sitting calm and still now that I've helped you. You're being so good for me, Nines."

To Gavin's surprise, the android squirmed slightly and his cheeks seemed to pick up a bluer hue. After a moment, Nines opened his mouth and accepted the treat, but he seemed distracted. 

Gavin got up slowly, tentatively reaching across to stroke Nines' hair again, watchful of his hands. But the android sat still and closed his eyes, savouring the touch. 

Maybe his rehabilitation wouldn't be so unattainable after all.


	4. Chapter 4

The next time Gavin walked into Nines' room, he had already made up his mind to explore more of Nines' response to touch and praise. It was going to be a high-risk session, but Gavin had a good feeling about it following Nines' reaction to the hair petting and kind words. It had been difficult to get the image of Nines going from a screaming ball of rage to a blushing figure of timidity from his mind. He wondered whether Nines had ever received praise before Gavin started to train him? Whether anyone had ever spared him a kind word... Either way, Gavin wasn't going to back down now, not when he was starting to get such good results.

Leaving most of his belongings at the door as usual, Gavin wasted no time in walking over to the android and sitting confidently at the edge of the proximity tape. The android in question sat cross-legged near the winch that held his arms within their limited range; his head was bowed and Gavin could see the slow spiral of his LED going through pale blue and occasional white laps. He looked peaceful... nothing like the dangerous creature made of claws and teeth that Gavin had first met.

"Good morning 'Nines," he smiled, watching as the android rose from some kind of light stasis. 

There was a tense moment as Nines braced himself to lunge, then he seemed to recognise Gavin and relaxed. He raised a hand slightly in a greeting, adjusting his posture and getting comfortable for their session. It was incredible to see how far he'd come in such a short stretch of time. But then again, it was easy to trust somebody who was shackled in place and it was even easier to behave yourself when you had no choice. Which was why Gavin was going to let him loose in the room today. 

"Nines, I need you to listen to me very carefully," he started, reaching across the proximity line and placing a hand on the android's wrist. Nines followed the movement with fixed interest and Gavin wasn't sure if it was predatory behaviour, or just shock that someone was daring to touch him. "I think that you and me have a pretty good understanding of each other, right? And I want to trust you, Nines. Just like you trusted me to help you yesterday... so we're going to try something new today. If you're good and refrain from any violent or threatening behaviour, then you'll get a huge reward. But the second I think you're becoming dangerous, I have a micro-range EMP pulser that will ensure my safety."  
Steel grey eyes flicked between Gavin's hand and his face, as though he might be able to detect some kind of trap or trick in Gavin's words. At the mention of the EMP, Nines bared his teeth and growled slightly. Gavin gripped his wrist gently before letting go, not wanting to reinforce the threatening behaviour.

"Hey, look, I know. I don't want to use it, Nines. Don't make me," Gavin warned, drawing the device from his pocket and showing Nines to let him know that he was dead serious. "As long as you don't do anything to make me feel unsafe, then we won't need this. Ok?"

Nines narrowed his eyes slowly, regarding the device that could render him unconscious with a cynical gaze. Gavin couldn't blame him. If someone brandished a taser at him and told him to 'behave', he would probably be dubious too. But he wanted Nines to succeed at this task. He wanted to prove to the staff here that Nines could be trusted with more privileges - that his restraints could be lengthened a little, or that he might be able to have more company when Gavin wasn't available. Most of all, he wanted to prove to Nines that he trusted him, and that he didn't have to resort to violence in order to exist. 

"Do you think this is a fair arrangement?" Gavin asked, waiting for a few moments as Nines weighed this up. Eventually, he slapped the green dot and Gavin smiled. "Ok. Cool. First step, I'm going to fully loosen your chains. There will still be a slight pull from the winch, but that's just the mechanism that winds it back when you move back. It prevents slack, so that the chains can't be pulled out and used as a weapon, ok?"

There was a brief moment where Nines seemed to buffer and process his words, but he nodded and waited to see what Gavin would do. True to his word, the detective walked over to the control panel and loosened the restraints, the EMP held firmly in his fist as he watched Nines test his new range of moment. The detective’s heart was hammering in his chest, all too aware that Nines had the speed and strength to incapacitate him before he could react and set off the EMP - but he had to trust the android if he was ever going to be rehabilitated. Trust would be important while exposing Nines to new experiences and while encouraging 'normal' social behaviours. As he watched, Nines stood slowly and stretched to his full height, raising his hands above his head in a stretch. Gavin watched closely - if his hands went anywhere near his muzzle clips, he would have no choice but to stun him. 

"Here are the rules, Nines. You don't touch your muzzle; you don't touch me unless I specifically give you permission to; you do not attempt to run for the door. Do you understand?" Gavin asked, watching as Nines tapped the green dot with his foot. "Alright then. Your ankle restraints should be loose too, so you can have a little walk around the room."

As though testing this theory, Nines pointed a foot out in front of him and tested whether the chain would follow or hold him back. When his movement was unhindered, Nines took a few more tentative steps forward, his body easing and relaxing when Gavin's promises proved to be true. 

"There we go, better?" Gavin asked, stepping away from the control panel and leaning against the adjoining wall. 

Nines nodded and looked to Gavin, walking a little closer before stopping suddenly; he looked towards Gavin questioning, miming another step. Confused, Gavin frowned a little and watched him make the gesture again, trying to work out what he was trying to convey. When he took a step forward, Nines took a step back and held his hands up; he brought them closer together, then parted them, gesturing to the space between them. Gavin clicked and slapped his own palm against his forehead.

"Sorry, Nines. Took me a while," he winced, offering him an apologetic smile. "But good work using physical gestures. That was great… You can approach me. The rule is that you can't touch me unless I give you permission, but you can stand as close to me as you like. I trust you."

That last sentence seemed to take Nines by surprise and he tilted his head slightly, eyes tracking over Gavin's features as he searched for a lie. It was the second time he had done it, and Gavin noticed that both occurrences were a response to perceived or verbally communicated trust. Judging from his background and the fact that he was detained shortly after activation - Nines was unlikely to have had any positive interactions with humans (or even other androids). He had been activated, treated as a weapon, then punished for acting like the weapon they had built him to be. But Gavin wanted to show him that he could be so much more than that. He could be his own person. He could become an independent member of society, with his own home and the ability to choose what he did with his life. At least, Gavin hoped he could. It would all hinge on their interaction together and whether Gavin could help him to rehabilitate. 

Once given permission to come closer, Nines walked up and stood at Gavin's side, just drinking in the moment of freedom and the change of view. He made a contented sound somewhere in his chest and let his head fall back to rest on the wall. He looked calm. Gavin couldn't stop himself from smiling, relieved that Nines was content with this little opportunity and that he hadn't decided to take advantage of Gavin's trust. 

"Hey, is it ok if I pet your hair?" Gavin asked, wanting to give Nines a choice in this. Android or not, he should have the right to decide what happened to his body. If he didn't want Gavin to touch him, Gavin wouldn't. It was only fair. "You seemed to enjoy it last time, that's the only reason I ask."

Nines considered this for a moment, no doubt playing over the memory and trying to work out whether he wanted more of that contact. Just when Gavin thought he was opting for silence instead of a response, Nines crouched a little and smirked. 

"Alright, smart-ass. I can reach your hair without you crouching," Gavin laughed, but he reached out all the same and scratched lightly at Nines' hair. "You've been really good so far. I'm proud of you."

The blue hue was returning to Nines' cheeks and Gavin pushed his luck, wanting to confirm what he already suspected. If it turned out that Nines reacted well to praise then things would be a lot easier moving forward - if not, Gavin would need to find another way to help Nines feel validated in his good behaviour. But judging by the blush and the way Nines seemed to go quiet and introspective after praise, Gavin figured he was onto a good thing. 

"I really appreciate your hard work, Nines. I know it must be difficult to go against your programming sometimes, especially when you're in a frustrating situation. But you've been patient and calm whenever we work together, you communicate well and you try to ask questions. I feel like we're making amazing progress together and I'm really proud of you. I mean that."

Nines looked away, his face darkening with his blush. He opened his mouth, his jaw tightening as he seemed to chew something over. Gavin waited, mindful of his sudden tension and the focus that Nines was exhibiting - he was either trying to bypass something in his protocols to give Gavin a response... or he was desperately fighting back an instinct. For the sake of his hand, Gavin hoped it was the former. When Nines' head turned sharply, Gavin reflexively pulled his hand back, causing Nines to wince. But when nothing else followed, Gavin returned his hand and continued stroking his hair - proving to himself and to Nines that he really did trust him. 

"You..." Nines managed to say, his voice thick and grinding as though made of bees or off-set gears. Gavin blinked, looking to the formerly mute android and giving him a little more time to get his words out. With no small amount of effort, Nines tried again. "Tha- nk... you."

Gavin's heart melted a little and he smiled, ruffling Nines' hair affectionately. Despite everything that he had been told about this android, Gavin was struggling to believe that Nines was just a cold-blooded killer. He was receptive and considerate, showing no signs of undue violence. Gavin liked being near him - even if there were safety precautions in place for the time being. He felt oddly safe around Nines, like no-one would be able to hurt him while this large, dangerous android was at his side. But, more than that, he liked the idea that he could show Nines a kinder, more peaceful life. He wanted to be the one to show Nines the world, to introduce him to a thousand small delights and experiences. It had been a long time since he had grown this attached to an android, and he wasn't oblivious to the fact that he had a taste for the 'lost causes'... maybe it was because he had faced the same thing, years before. No-one had been willing to give him a chance, until Hank had taken the time to help Gavin reign in his anger issues and coached him into the cop he was today. 

"You're welcome, Nines," Gavin responded, letting his hand fall back to his side. "Here, a little something to reward your behaviour."


	5. Chapter 5

Gavin reached into his pocket and drew out a small paper sachet, tearing it open with his teeth before showing Nines the contents. He had started to run out of food flavourings to try, so he'd had another idea. Inside the sachet was a portion of raspberry sherbet, bright and blue like powdered thirium. Nines looked at the powder, then looked to Gavin with a confused look. 

"You lick your finger and dip it in, like this," Gavin demonstrated, showing Nines how the crystals clung to his finger; he placed his finger in his mouth and sucked the sour powder from his skin. As he did so, Nines' gaze fixed on his mouth, pupils blowing wider and his expression growing oddly intense. Gavin gave an uncomfortable huff of laughter and offered Nines the sachet so that he could do the same. "Here, you try it. I don't mind sharing germs."

Gavin watched as Nines reached a finger through his muzzle and slowly sucked at his own fingertip, taking an unreasonable amount of time on the task. And Gavin suddenly understood why Nines had watched him so intensely just now. In hindsight, maybe sherbet had been a bad idea... considering how it meant that he would have to watch Nines lick and suck almost pornographically at his own fingers. What made things worse was the flash of teeth that he occasionally spotted when Nines opened his mouth - his mind drifted and he wondered how safe it would be to put other digits into Nines' mouth...

Nines winked and withdrew his finger, dipping it into the sherbet and repeating the suggestive action, only this time his expression ticked upward into something like surprise. He analysed the taste, LED spinning yellow before settling back into blue. He reached for the sachet again, hesitating until Gavin reassured him that he could have as much as he liked; he gathered more powder on his fingertip and tasted it, making a pleased sound in his throat. 

Cheeks burning up in an undeniable blush, Gavin scratched at the back of his own neck in a pacifying gesture and tried to push back the unbidden images of Nines' mouth doing other things. He couldn't help himself. Nines was designed in a way that ticked all of his boxes; tall, dark hair, piercing eyes, intimidating, broad across the chest and shoulders. He'd known that he would have to watch himself, growing too attached could be dangerous; if Nines worked it out then Gavin's attraction could be used to manipulate him, leading Gavin into dangerous scenarios. Well, more dangerous than letting the 'killer android' have free reign of the room and close contact with Gavin.... ah. Well, too late now, he supposed. Besides, he was curious about something and he wanted to test Nines' control.

"Hey, this is going to sound like a really strange idea. So, I apologise in advance for that... but I want to prove to people that you have self control and that you're not a mindless threat to anyone who gets close to you," Gavin explained, pausing to lick his own fingertip and gather sherbet on his skin. "Would I be in any danger if I let you lick the sherbet off of my fingers?"

Nines raised a brow, surprised by the request and seemingly dubious about Gavin's intentions. That was fair, Gavin was questioning his own intentions too. But he wanted to break serious ground today, he wanted to be able to show this security footage to the case worker and prove that Nines was developing some control over his instincts. And if he happened to get a bit of a hard on in the process, that that was just science. 

After a long moment, Nines nodded but held a hand up so that Gavin would wait. Gavin watched as Nines took a steadying breath and focused, closing his eyes as he presumably worked through a few protocols and deactivated sensory triggers. This was dangerous, Gavin knew that, but it felt important. If Nines needed a whole hour to prepare for this step, then so be it. Gavin was willing to wait as long as he needed if it would improve his chances of succeeding at this trust exercise (and saved Gavin a finger). Eventually, Nines nodded and opened his mouth - and Gavin started to have second thoughts.

Up close, Nines' teeth were terrifying. Gavin tried not to focus on them too much as he slowly placed his finger between the bars of the muzzle and rested his fingertip on the android's lower lip. If he wanted to, Nines could just surge forward and bite his whole damn finger off, and Gavin would probably have deserved it... but instead, he delicately stuck his tongue out and licked the sour powder off. His LED spiraled yellow again, analysing the change in taste now that it was mixed with the data from Gavin's skin. Gavin watched, transfixed, as that soft pink tongue lapped sinfully at his finger, lips closing over it and sucking before releasing. 

Gavin started to draw his hand away, planning to get more sherbet and offering it to Nines (hoping to get another performance like that), but the android brought a hand up and gripped his wrist firmly, holding it in place. Gavin's heart skipped a beat, suspended for a moment of terrified stillness before it broke into a thunderous rhythm against his chest. Nines' LED spiralled yellow, his grip firm as he licked Gavin's finger firmly, taking in the taste of his flesh rather than the sherbet. Gavin pulled firmly against his hold, worry turning to panic as Nines' LED flickered into red. 

"Nines, stop!" Gavin demanded, desperately trying to pull his hand free. In his panic, he forgot about the EMP, too focused on the proximity between Nines' teeth and his hand.

Despite the command, Nines focused on Gavin's hand, teeth testing slowly against one knuckle as Gavin frantically tried to pull himself free. With a herculean effort, Gavin managed to loosen Nines' grip and pulled his hand free, but the android was too fast. Before he could blink, Gavin was boxed in against the wall, Nines' powerful arms each side of his head and his predatory teeth exposed in a snarl. Remembering the EMP, Gavin fumbled for it in his pocket and tried to block out the growling that seemed to turn his legs to liquid. Shaking, he raised the device in a warning. 

"Nines, stop it. Stop it, or I'll activate it!" Gavin shouted, his voice shaky but firm. "You're better than this!"

That last phrase seemed to catch Nines attention and his LED flickered back into yellow, sentience slowly returning to his eyes. He stumbled back, his expression dropping into one of horror as he realised what he'd just done. Gavin's knees gave out and he sank to the floor, trembling. He knew that he should go to the control panel, that he should tighten Nines' restraints and create a safe distance between them, but he wasn't entirely sure that he could stand just yet. 

"Nines, I need you to go back to the winch. Stay there until I can reactivate the control panel," he instructed, his voice small and distant. 

It wasn't hard to see the distress in Nines' expression, the way he hovered just a few feet away from Gavin for a few more moments while he tried to figure out if Gavin was ok. But he eventually conceded and walked to his usual spot, sitting behind the winch and covering his face with his hands. Soundless, still. Gavin watched him with distrustful eyes as he forced his body to move, carrying himself to the control panel and reactivating the chains. He took a steadying breath, trying to evaluate the situation as fairly as possible.   
Nines had lost control of something and had become dangerous. But he had also stopped himself when Gavin protested... that was important. 

Still, it didn't change the fact that Gavin's heart was pumping harder than a steam engine and he had been a thin breath away from pissing himself in fear. But he forced himself to approach the android before him, to sit opposite him like they usually did. To step back from the situation and just breathe - to take a moment with Nines and reflect on what happened. If only to prevent a negative association developing. 

"Nines?" Gavin started, his voice quiet but growing a little steadier with each second that passed. "What the hell happened back there? You were calm, enjoying a nice sherbet treat and you just went berserk..."

Nines winced and looked away, his LED spinning slow rings in red. But he wasn't lashing out or growling. He felt bad, not angry. 

"You stopped yourself. I guess that's something," Gavin tried to reassure him, but he couldn't bring himself to reach out or touch him. 

Nines placed his head in his hands and dug his nails in slightly as he tried to hide from Gavin's gaze. He was tense... And Gavin realised that he was bracing for some kind of punishment. 

Nah, Gavin didn't go in for negative reinforcement. It wasn't effective and it didn't sit right with him. The only way to build on this was to understand exactly what had triggered the android's behaviour. 

"You were fine until I let you lick the sherbet off my finger," Gavin reasoned, trying to understand. "I probably shouldn't have done that, and I'm sorry. I was already pushing you pretty hard by giving you free movement around the room, letting you stand so close. I guess I pushed too far, huh?"

Slowly, as though not wanting to spook Gavin, Nines reached out and touched the red dot. 

No. 

Gavin looked at his hand, resting on the negative response dot, then tracked up to the android's distressed features. 

"It's ok, Nines. I'm safe. You're safe. I'm not going to hurt you or report this to the precinct. But I need to understand what happened so that this doesn't happen again."  
Nines sighed and tried to figure out a way to explain. In the end, he brought his own finger to his lips and sucked it in an exaggerated, sultry gesture.

Gavin watched, fear and longing mixing like fuel and water in his stomach. Nines was hot, there was no denying that, but he was dangerous too. Nines drew his finger out of his mouth and rotated his hands in a kind of locamotive gesture; when Gavin failed to understand, he sighed and gestured vaguely to his crotch. 

And Gavin couldn't help but smirk a little. 

"You got horny and it made you short circuit?"

Nines fixed him with a deadpan look, but then hesitantly reached to the 'yes' dot and planted his hand firmly within the circle. Gavin made a small 'hm' sound, trying his best not to start laughing (nervous laughter had always been a weakness of his, but he supposed it was better than crying). If the android was capable of getting sexually stimulated, then it meant he was already a lot closer to human emotions than everyone had given him credit for. It was a shockingly common thing in Gavin's work - just because an android couldn't communicate their feelings well or didn't know how to identify their feelings, the humans around them assumed that they didn't have any. It was half of the reason why Gavin had wanted to pursue this line of work - he knew how it felt to be dismissed because he didn't know how to express himself, and he wasn't willing to let a whole generation of androids suffer the same fate.

"Well, duly noted," Gavin smirked, trying to lighten the mood a little and reassure Nines that there were no hard feelings. "Remind me not to get you too worked up next time."  
Looking down at his hands, Nines offered a silent huff of laughter. As his gaze lifted reluctantly and met with Gavin's, and the detective couldn't find it in himself to be angry with the android. Nines really was trying to play by the rules and control himself, but it would be a long road. Cyberlife had intentionally restricted his ability to control his own actions, but it was possible if they kept working on it. 

"I think it's best if we call it a day, but we can try some more free roaming tomorrow, ok?" Gavin explained, wanting Nines to understand that there wouldn't be any disciplinary measures or restrictions in the future. This was all progress.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> CW: At the beginning of the chapter, Nines is assaulted by officers. However Gavin intervenes and Nines is not badly hurt.

When Gavin stepped into the precinct the following day, he was stopped by one of the SWAT team and lured into some small talk. He didn't think anything of it at first, just happy to shoot the shit with another officer. But when he tried to make his excuses and leave, the SWAT officer stepped into his path and advised that Gavin 'might want to skip out on his dog training today'. Frowning, Gavin tried to walk past him, only to be blocked again. 

Something was wrong. 

"Fun's over. I have a job to do, so step aside," Gavin tried, keeping his voice level for now, but worry was starting to bubble under the surface. 

"Leave it, Gavin. Go take a coffee break or something, get some air. You can see to your little sabertooth cyber tomorrow," the officer shrugged, his tone forced into something resembling nonchalance. But Gavin knew better. 

Turning away, he feigned a few steps towards the exit, then turned sharply and bolted for Nines' room. He felt the tight grip of the officer's hand on his arm, holding him back for a moment before he was able to shake them off. He didn't look back, simply ran for Nines' room and burst through the door. The sight inside made him feel sick. 

Nines' restraints had been tightened to the maximum limit, crushing his wrists and ankles against the winch. Immobile and powerless, all he could do was snarl and roar at the collection of four officers that were systematically kicking him and throwing punches at his muzzled face. Seeing Gavin at the door, Nines' eyes met with his - pleading, pained. 

"Get the fuck off of him!!" Gavin yelled, sprinting over and shoving the closest officer. 

The remaining officers squared up and Gavin backed up a step, realising too late that he was wildly outnumbered. In a moment of quick thinking, he ran towards the control panel and held his hand over the release button. 

"You get the fuck out of this room, immediately. Or I let Nines loose," Gavin explained, panting slightly and trying not to let his fear show too strongly through his voice. 

The officers hesitated, seeming to weigh up whether Gavin was being serious or not. At last, one of them spoke up, "Nice try. If you let it loose, it'll kill you too. Just walk away and we'll pretend we never saw you."

"Yeah, nah, not happening. See, Nines likes me. So, he isn't likely to hurt me. You guys, however... Well, I imagine he doesn't like you guys one bit. So do yourselves a favour - leave this room and report immediately to your superior officer. They might be a little more lenient with you if you report yourselves before I do. Because, trust me. I'm going to. Now get lost."

Not liking their chances, the officers started to disperse, muttering venomous oaths under their breath as they left. Gavin watched them go, following behind them and locking the door before hurrying back to the panel and releasing Nines' restraints. He half expected Nines to run for the door, to try and paralyse them with fear by emitting another roar. But he just sat quietly in his designated area, rubbing at his wrists and ankles.

Gavin walked over, kneeling directly beside him and placing a hand on his shoulder. "Hey, it's ok. I've got you... anything damaged?"

Nines shook his head, but his gaze stayed low, focusing on the ground instead of Gavin. So calm... Gavin didn't understand how anyone could view Nines as a mindless killing machine. He had just been through a traumatising attack, and yet he was sitting quietly while Gavin checked him over for injuries. Thankfully, they were few and far between - one of the officers had managed to dislodge a chassis plate on Nines' side, while another had cracked one of the thin chassis plates on the back of his hand. Even at a distance, Gavin could see the black expanse of Nines' chassis where the skin of his hands had been scraped away by the winch. He sighed and sat in front of the android, reaching for his hands but waiting to make sure Nines was comfortable before taking them. 

"I'm so sorry, Nines. I didn't think any of them would do this..." Gavin said quietly, rubbing his thumb over the damaged part of the android's hands. 

Nines didn't answer, simply looked at the ground and allowed Gavin to do whatever he pleased. It was heartbreaking. Gavin could guess at the android's thought processes right about now: that he should fight back, that he shouldn't fight back, that he should allow them to damage him and hurt him, that he was worthless in their eyes, that he deserved to be kicked and beaten. He wondered whether Nines believed that his life could be better than this, or whether he had resigned himself to a short and painful existence.

Either way, Gavin wasn't going to just let this happen. 

He knew that, if he left Nines at the precinct, then this would happen again. Maybe worse next time. They might have Nines deactivated altogether. But he didn't have another facility that would be capable of holding the military android. So, there was only one real option... and it was a dangerous option to say the least. 

He would have to allow Nines to stay with him, in his home. 

"Nines, I'm gonna get you out of here, ok? But I need you to work with me on this," Gavin explained , dipping his head a little to try and catch Nines' eye. "I'm willing to stick my neck out on the line, because I trust you. I know that you wouldn't hurt me if you could help it, right?"

Nines regarded him with cautious but hopeful eyes, seeming to form an idea (or a wish) in his mind but not quite daring to believe that it might reflect his reality. Acknowledging the question at last, Nines nodded and patted the green dot quickly. Gavin was about to continue when he noticed Nines opening his mouth to speak; the words took a while to come through, but Nines eventually forced his voice into the right sounds. 

"Trust... you," he half-spoke, half-growled. "...Safe. You... safe."

"That's good," Gavin praised, reaching up to smooth his hair reassuringly. He wasn't entirely sure whether Nines meant that he felt safe with Gavin,or whether Gavin was safe with him, but he figured it was kind of the same thing at this point. They had built a relationship on trust, even if Nines had lost control a few times... Gavin knew that he was relatively safe with Nines, provided that he was careful. "If you want, I can get some paperwork filed so that you can come with me to an alternate training location. How does that sound?"

Nines hesitated, his gaze shifting to the door before he gestured vaguely in the direction of the corridor. Gavin tried to understand him, trying to work out the path his thoughts had taken. He was probably worried that all police precincts would be the same, or worse, so it made sense that he'd want some reassurance about his own safety.

"There won't be any cops there... well, there'll be one. But that cop will be me," Gavin explained, trying to catch Nines' gaze and offering his hand to hold. "Nines, I'd like to take you to my home, so that we can work on rehabilitating you in a normal setting. No-one will be able to get in or hurt you, but I need you to promise that you'll warn me when you're starting to get worked up, ok?"

For a long moment, Nines only stared at him, his LED running circuits of analytic yellow. When Gavin didn't reveal the offer as some kind of joke or cruel trick, Nines frowned a little and dipped his head in a gesture that conveyed 'really?'.

"Is that something you want, Nines? I don't want to pressure you into anything you're not comfortable with."

The words had barely left Gavin's lips before Nines was repeatedly tapping the green dot and nodding. The expression lining his features was hard to read; mildly distressed, urgent, pleading. Gavin squeezed his hands gently and smiled, trying to keep him calm so that he didn't get overwhelmed and cause some damage. 

"Ok, ok, I get the message," Gavin laughed lightly. "You stay here. I'm gonna tighten the chains a little just to keep the higher-ups happy, but I'll be back soon and we can get you settled in at home, ok?"

Nines nodded and released Gavin's hands, settling himself down to wait. Gavin walked over to the panel and tightened the restraints just enough to ensure Nines couldn't be goaded into running at the door, then he went to Fowler's office to get the sign-off papers. As expected, he was handed an entire folder of disclaimers, waivers and legal responsibility forms that would need to be filled in before Nines was released, along with a set of rules that had to be adhered to at all times. If he neglected any of the rules, the DPD was legally authorised to bring Nines back into custody and potentially have him deactivated... so Gavin read through the list carefully.

1) [Subject] must remain on the designated property (Det. Gavin Reed's personal residence) at all times.  
2) [Subject] must be suitably restrained so as to prevent him being a danger to the public. Due to the nature of the android's make and model, it is advised that he be fitted with a remotely activated EMP collar, perimeter limiters or that he is physically restrained within the home.  
3) [Subject] must be fitted with a tracker, to allow officers to locate the android in the event of a containment breach.  
4) Det. Gavin Reed must keep his work phone on at all times and answer check-in calls promptly, without fail. If a call is not answered, a second call will be attempted five minutes later. If this second call is not answered, the Detroit Police Department will assume that there has been a fatal injury and will proceed to issue officers for the retrieval and containment of [Subject]. Alternatively, Det. Gavin Reed may be fitted with a pulse monitor and emergency response trigger.  
5) [Subject] may not interact with humans/androids except Det. Gavin Reed until his final assessment is complete  
6) [Subject] may not claim independence, emancipation, ownership of property/possessions or otherwise exercise human rights without first completing his final assessment.  
7) In the event of any of these restrictions being breached, Detroit Police Department will seize the android, who will be considered a lethal threat, and will incapacitate him appropriately. Any and all criminal damage, physical/psychological harm and/or use of Detroit Police Department resources will be the sole responsibility of Det. Gavin Reed. 

Gavin sighed and signed his life away, trying to work out the least humiliating way to handle this. The perimeter limiters seems like the most humane option for Nines - the thin ankle bands would be locked into place and would immobilize Nines if he attempted to leave a set perimeter; otherwise, he would be entirely unhindered and free in his movements, with only a minimal physical reminder of his condition. As for Gavin, he really didn't like the idea of putting Nines' life on the line every time he took a goddamn shower or slept through a call. So, as much as he hated the thought of someone monitoring his vitals (and therefore knowing when he was getting off...), it seemed like the safer option. Besides, it would be security for himself too. He would tell Nines the rules in detail and would ensure that he understood the need to keep himself under control. 

Not that he really needed to stress that to Nines. The android was trying so hard to keep himself calm when they interacted, trying to prove himself to Gavin. It was just the rigid coding in his system that was forcing reactionary attacks... if they could get Nines to rebuild his protocols, then he would be free from his original programming. But it was a huge risk. Deviation was often traumatic and his emotions would be running high, but if they could work out a way of doing it safely, then Nines might be able to walk away from this as a free man.


	7. Chapter 7

Nines had to be escorted from the precinct in shackles, his ankles already bound with the perimeter restrictors that Gavin had requested. Before signing the list of requirements and stating his preferred methods, Gavin had consulted with Nines and given him the choice - it didn't make sense for Gavin to force Nines into something without his consent, especially when he was trying to rehabilitate Nines as a free man. So, he had discussed the options with Nines and they had agreed on the heart monitor and the perimeter restrictors together. 

Gavin stayed with him as he was transported into the back of the police vehicle and driven to his new home. Gavin had gone to the effort of having his doors reinforced with mechanical bolts and had 'Nanny cams' installed throughout the house just to keep the bosses happy, but he didn't really have any intention of using them. He would just play ball for now, make them feel safe. 

As they rode in the back of the van, Gavin reached for Nines' hand and brushed his thumb over this skin lightly, trying to reassure him that it would all be ok. His hands were shackled for the moment, but he would be released once they were inside the house - the DPD had insisted on securing his muzzle with a small fingerprint-scanning padlock so that Gavin would be the only person who could open it... and even then, Gavin had needed to fight for that much. Originally, they had wanted to lock the muzzle in place completely. It was a wonder any androids were rehabilitated at all, given the way they were treated, but Gavin hoped that it wouldn't be too late for Nines. 

When the van rolled to a stop, Gavin helped Nines up and walked him out of the vehicle with a hand hooked into the crease of his elbow, guiding him towards the house. But Nines stopped at the threshold of the front lawn and scanned the area, his face filled with wonder. Gavin watched his LED spin through a rapid succession of yellow spirals, dipping into red very briefly as a car went by, then returning to yellow again. And Gavin realised that Nines had probably never seen the world outside of the DPD or his training facility. He smiled softly and squeezed Nines' arm. 

"Hey, we can come back out and look around later ok, the lawn and the garden count as my property, so we won't be breaking any rules. But right now, we have to go inside, ok? Otherwise the cops are gonna get nervous," he explained, waiting for Nines to come with him of his own volition.

Eventually, Gavin was able to shepherd the large android inside and released his wrists from the restraints. He handed them back to the nearest officer and went through the security checks, enabling the perimeter limits and checking that his pulse monitor was working, before he was finally able to close the door and relax. The pomp and procession was over, leaving him alone with Nines so that they could really get to work on his rehabilitation. 

For his part, Nines was standing in the living room, staring at the different decorations and furnishings with something akin to wonder. It was adorable, seeing him experience this kind of freedom and stimulus for the first time. Gavin took a seat on the sofa and let him adjust in his own time - it was probably a lot to take in, even without all of those fancy android scanners. He had already prepped the house for Nines' arrival, ensuring the place was neat and clean, but also trying to make it as safe and calming as possible; he had tidied away most of his usual clutter, leaving the surfaces clean so that they wouldn't create as much visual noise; the smart bulbs had been set to a slightly lower brightness and emitted a soothing colourful hue amidst the general light; he had even taken care to provide Nines with his own little 'Cozy Corner' so that he would have somewhere to go when he was feeling overwhelmed or when he needed to focus on his emotions. 

The space mainly consisted of a suspended 'egg' chair that Gavin had initially used in the garden, but he had swapped the waterproof cushion for a fleece liner that he hoped would provide a soothing tactile feedback; in theory, the surrounding walls of the chair would reduce visual stimulus and allow Nines to focus on his feelings. Stored within arms reach of the chair were a few supplies that Nines was welcome to try out: bubble-wrap and a glitter stim jar that he could shake if he needed to unleash a small amount of his destructive programming when he was angry, a Rubik's cube if he wanted a focusing aid, along with a number of smaller stim toys such as a fidget cube, a worry stone, a stress ball and a spinner. He wanted Nines to be able to play around with the different options and work out what helped him.

When Nines eventually turned to look at Gavin, his expression was difficult to read. He looked nervous and relieved all at once, his eyes searching for something in Gavin, maybe asking for help. Gavin could see his LED spinning as he tried to work things out, probably not understanding how he was supposed to act in this kind of environment. Not wanting him to get upset and risk setting off any dangerous protocols, Gavin got up slowly and offered a hand  
.  
"Hey, it's ok. Want me to give you a little tour of the house and tell you what you can do here?" Gavin asked, offering him an encouraging smile. 

Nines nodded, gripping his hand tightly and staying close at his side. And Gavin couldn't help but feel a sadness settle deep in his chest. It was no wonder that androids deviated or lashed out sometimes, especially when they were contained in inhumane places or forced to work traumatising jobs, and then just left to work things out on their own as soon as they had 'earned' their freedom. It was a broken system and Gavin was doing his best to change it, even if he had to do it with a single android at a time.


	8. Chapter 8

Over the following few weeks, Gavin helped Nines to find a comfortable routine around the house. He would go into stasis overnight when Gavin was asleep and they would both wake up at 7am, then Gavin would take a shower while Nines prepared breakfast (Gavin had tried to insist that he didn't need to, but Nines wanted to feel helpful and it gave him something to do while he was waiting). Then, they would work out together, partly to keep Gavin in shape but also to give Nines a physical outlet before they started on their training. They would then spend two hours working on Nines' rehabilitation, working through a series of desensitization exercises for his stress triggers and working on redirecting his energy when his triggers started to set in. Then it was time to stop for lunch and a little free time for Nines to sit in the garden and calm himself down before their afternoon session. 

Gavin liked their afternoon sessions best, because they focused on Nines' future in the world and gave him an alternative set of skills that he could use to find work or help him to fit in once he had autonomy. Nines expressed an interest in cooking, crafts and landscaping, so Gavin showed him the basics and allowed him to explore the skills in his own time, providing him with any materials he might need. In all honesty, he kind of enjoyed the opportunity to sit back and watch Nines live a semi-normal life; pursuing hobbies, learning new things, experiencing new tastes and scents. It felt good... domestic.

It had been a long time since he had someone in the house with him, and it was nice to have some company. -He knew that it was dangerous to entertain the idea of a relationship with Nines... He didn't want to put pressure on him or abuse his position as Nines' only friend and support figure. And he didn't want Nines to mistake gratitude for affection. But sometimes, when he was watching Nines bake or when they were sat together on the couch in the evenings, it was easy to just reach a hand out and feel the android's fingers closing around his own. He liked Nines, and there was no getting away from it. He liked his intimidating appearance, his bright eyes and his broad shoulders; he liked the care and consideration Nines showed when he was calm. Shit, a part of him also liked the feral, dangerous energy that was simmering just beneath the surface. 

He wondered what kind of sounds Nines would make if they were in bed together... And would then promptly remind himself that Nines could detect a boner from a hundred yards away, so he needed to keep his thoughts clean. But all of his uncertainty broke one evening when hey we're watching a show together. 

Sat side by side as usual, Nines kept sending glances Gavin's way. Curious (and a little hopeful), Gavin asked him what was wrong. Without a word, Nines shifted his weight and slowly lay himself out so that his head was in Gavin's lap; beautiful grey eyes staring up at him. 

"Okay?" Nines asked quietly. 

Gavin smiled and brushed his hair back gently, "Yeah, this is ok. It's nice..."

"You're nice," Nines countered, smirking slightly. 

And Gavin's heart fluttered in his chest. As he tried to process that answer, they settled into a comfortable silence; Nines watching the show contently, a hand resting on Gavin's knee, while Gavin stroked idly at his hair. With each movement, his fingers passed over the straps of the muzzle and he frowned. He wanted Nines to be comfortable, and he wanted to do something nice for him, to show that he trusted him…

"Hey, Nines. Are you feeling calm?" Gavin asked gently, wanting to make sure that Nines was in a stable mental state before risking the removal of the muzzle. When Nines looked up to him and nodded, the smile on his lips was enough to melt Gavin's heart completely. "Ok, would you like me to remove the muzzle?"

Nines blinked and stared at him for a moment, seeming to replay the words in his mind, the same way Gavin had done just moments before. After a moment of consideration, he nodded slowly. "Please."

"Sure thing. Sit up a little and I'll undo the lock," Gavin explained. "If you start getting worried or want the muzzle back on, just let me know, ok?"

Pressing his fingertip firmly to the scanner on the lock, Gavin waited for the three distinct little buzzes that let him know the lock was disabled. He removed it carefully, fingers working the buckles of the muzzle open before gently moving it off and away from Nines' face. The android smiled and stretched out his jaw, running his hands over the smooth expanse of his cheeks and mouth. Gavin caught sight of his teeth between the gaps of his fingers, glittering and deadly. But he trusted Nines, he knew that he wouldn't do anything that might hurt him. 

"How does that feel?" Gavin asked, reaching out to cup his cheek. 

"Good," Nines practically purred, his voice low and rumbled due to the 'growl' feature built into his vocal programming. 

Nines leaned into Gavin’s touch, closing his eyes and seeming to relax as Gavin guided him back down and let him relax across his lap. This felt better, more sincere. More than that, it felt more respectful. Nines was a person in his own right, and it wasn't fair for him to be restrained or restricted just because the people around him refused to be patient. Nines had the potential to fully rehabilitate, and it was these little steps that would get him there. There was no use putting a muzzle on a wolf and calling it 'tame'. That wasn't how this worked. 

"If you want, we can leave the muzzle off from now on. Except when we're training out your prey drive and when you're getting worked up, but that's just a temporary thing until you're confident in your ability to control yourself. What do you think?" Gavin asked casually, not wanting it to sound like a big deal. 

"Safe?" Nines asked, turning to look up at Gavin again. 

"I feel safe with you, I trust you. But if you have worries, then you can put the muzzle back on whenever you like," Gavin explained, wanting to give Nines full autonomy on this issue. 

It was his body, his responsibility to ensure he was safe and wasn't posing a threat to others. Gavin could give him tools and guidance, but ultimately, it was up to Nines to monitor his own behaviour and moods. 

"Please," Nines nodded, reaching for Gavin's hand and pressing it to his cheek affectionately. Gavin watched as his LED spun a single circuit of yellow, and he realised that Nines had an idea. "Here... safe."

Slowly, Nines opened his mouth and guided Gavin's hand to his teeth. It would be inaccurate to say that Gavin wasn't a little worried by the gesture, his heart thumping a little harder against his chest as his fingertips were brought between the sharp enamels. His thoughts raced back to the incident in the holding cell - his finger between Nines' lips, the way his mannerisms had quickly switched to aggression when the android had boxed him in... but Nines was getting better at monitoring his feelings, Gavin had to trust in that. He needed to trust that Nines was doing this for a good reason and that he wouldn't do anything to intentionally cause him any harm.

Gently, Nines closed his teeth over Gavin's skin, just hard enough to be felt but not hard enough to break skin. He did this a few times, his LED working through phrases of yellow and blue while Gavin watched. It took him a moment to figure out what Nines was doing, but when Nines guided Gavin's hand away and repeated the gesture against thin air, Gavin realised that he'd set a hard limiter on his jaw movements. He would be able to close his mouth as normal, but any 'bite' mechanics or triggers would be restricted to that safe pressure and space.

"That's a really cool trick," Gavin praised, moving a hand to ruffle Nines' hair. "Thank you, I appreciate that."

"Want you safe," Nines explained, shrugging one shoulder slightly. "No hurt."

"No hurt," Gavin agreed, knowing that he would do everything in his power to prevent any harm to Nines too.


	9. Chapter 9

The following morning, Gavin was surprised when he woke to the sight of Nines curled up in the bed beside him. Blood seemed to simultaneously rush to his cheeks and dick in equal measure, but mostly he was taken aback by the trust that Nines was placing in him. He was out for the count, his LED running pure white as he worked through his stasis; he looked calm, relaxed, totally at peace. But Gavin's attention inevitably drifted to the bare expanse of his chest and shoulders, focusing for a moment on the thin disc of his thirium pump cover. He wanted to reach out, to brush his hair back and wake him with a kiss - but he also didn't want to risk startling him or setting off any defensive protocols. So, instead, he settled his weight and contented himself with memorising the details of Nines' skin. 

After a few minutes, Nines' LED switched back to yellow and then faded into blue, his eyelashes fluttering slightly as he blinked out of his rest. Gavin smiled at him, offering him an open hand. 

"Morning gorgeous," Gavin greeted, squeezing Nines' hand affectionately when the android's strong fingers linked with his own. "Sleep ok?"

Nines nodded and settled himself into the pillow, appearing so human and yet infinitely more elegant. Gavin watched as he worked through a number of start-up protocols and calibrated himself for the day, though the process only took a matter of seconds. What took longer was Nines' attempt to string together the words he wanted to force out. 

"Wanted... with you. Safe," he tried to explain, the words getting jammed against his teeth, refusing to come out smoothly. He sighed, a little frustrated with himself, but Gavin reached out and placed a hand gently on his cheek. 

"It's ok, I think I understand. You wanted to be close to me, because being with me makes you feel safe?" he asked. 

"No... you safe," Nines clarified, and Gavin gave a sound of understanding. 

"You wanted to make sure I was safe?" 

Nines nodded and shifted a little closer, his face drawing closer to Gavin's until they were practically nose to nose. Gavin's gaze drifted to Nines' lips, lingering for a moment before he forced himself to meet the android's gaze again.

"Like you..." Nines said softly, his voice taking on that growling purr. 

Gavin felt his heart skip over a few beats before he was able to respond with a quiet, "I really like you too."

It felt right, sharing those feelings with Nines. But he was still worried about Nines' affections. What if Gavin allowed himself to fall head over heels for this guy, only for Nines to realise that there were much better options out there once he had his autonomy? What if Nines was mistaking his friendly affection for something more? He tried to shut the doubt away but it lingered, like a stain on his mind. Even if Nines came to his senses and found someone else, maybe the heartache would be worth it for a few weeks of happiness with him. Yeah, it felt worth it. 

Before the doubts could grow too loud, Nines leaned in and kissed him. 

Gavin blinked and made a small sound of surprise, but it gave way to a pleased hum as he melted into the kiss. His lips felt so real, so human... if Gavin didn't already know that Nines was an android, there would have been no indicator in his kiss. Except maybe for the flash of teeth against his lips when their mouths parted. After a moment, Nines pulled away and Gavin readied an apology for whatever he'd done wrong, but Nines was smiling brightly. His LED swam in lazy yellow circles as he processed the new data. 

"Being safe," he explained, making a show of doing his calming exhales. 

A laugh bubbled up in Gavin's throat and he grinned, glad that he could have such an effect on Nines. Still, they would have to be careful - he didn't want to risk letting things get out of hand, not when Nines' life was on the line. "Here, nice and slow. You can break away whenever you want. Or you can push a little further whenever you're comfortable."

Leaning in, Gavin kissed him again, keeping things soft and slow. He didn't need more than this right now. He just needed Nines beside him, accepting him as he was and trusting him enough to explore these feelings. They kept that pace for a long time, just enjoying the soft intimacy of the gesture. Gavin had missed this, more than he had previously realised. 

Gradually, Nines' hands began to roam over Gavin's chest and stomach. The detective leaned into the touch slightly, letting him know that it was ok. He felt fingertips tracing over each curve of his chest, over the dip over his waist, resting on the slowly-softening expanse of his stomach; he wondered, vaguely, whether Nines liked his stomach like this, or whether he'd prefer Gavin to work out more. He'd heard from Connor that some androids liked fatter humans, because it was an attribute they couldn't personally gain. To them, abs were the standard, so a little padding was a comfort. Gavin hoped that Nines was one such android.

As the kiss deepened, Gavin caught the telltale rustle of Nines' growl starting to feed through on his exhales, and he drew away gently. Nines looked gorgeous. His hair was dishevelled and fell about his face in a way that made him look wild; paired with the glint of his teeth behind kiss-reddened lips, he looked both dangerous and irresistible. Cold grey eyes closed in a slow blink, as Nines forced himself to focus. 

"Thank you," Nines smiled, taking a moment to steady himself. "...Good."

"Yeah, you were pretty good yourself," Gavin winked, lying on his back and gesturing to his chest. "Cuddle up a while. It's Saturday, so we can wait a while before going to training, yeah?"

The light bubble of laughter that rose from Nines' lips was answer enough, and he lay himself down beside Gavin with his head resting on the human's shoulder. As they rested, dozing together in the hazy Saturday morning unreality, Nines traced his hands over Gavin's torso and mapped out each of his scars. Gavin watched as Nines' brow pinched into a frown, his palm pressing to the burn mark on Gavin's hip. 

"What?" Nines asked, looking up to him.

"I was working a domestic abuse case, got called in to do a welfare check. I went in and this woman is just scalding her husband over and over with the iron..." he explained, the memory still vivid in his mind. "When I intervened, she swung the damn thing and got me in the hip. But she went down pretty quickly after that, and the victim was taken to the hospital."

"Brave..." 

Nines' tone was reverent but there was something else hiding behind his tone. It took Gavin a moment to place it, eventually realising that it was gratitude.

"I guess. Most people prefer to say I'm stupid and reckless," he winked, kissing Nines' forehead. "When I see someone who needs help, I do whatever I can to help them. Doesn't matter if I have to put myself in the line of fire or take a few risks. If it saves someone's life, then it's worth the scars."

He hoped that Nines would understand. He wanted the android to know that he would continue to trust him and would allow him to push his boundaries for as long as possible. Because it was how they were going to get through Nines' rehabilitation, it was how they were going to save him. And whatever Nines chose to do once he was free, well, that was up to him. Whatever happened, Gavin would feel good about the fact that he had been able to help him.


	10. Chapter 10

After that point, Nines' discipline grew in leaps and bounds. He was able to rely on Gavin to support him when he was testing his limits, knowing that Gavin wouldn't run and worsen his prey drive if he was getting a little stressed. More importantly, he knew that Gavin would be right there to comfort him if he grew frustrated or upset, offering a cuddle or a jog around the garden to burn off energy, while holding his hand the whole way around. As long as Gavin was nearby, he felt like he could overcome his boundaries and shut down his trigger responses before they fully activated. 

It started with concentrated exercises, like having Nines focus on a point of the wall and control himself as Gavin fired Nerf bullets around the room, or having Nines sit patiently on the patio while Gavin practiced running starts just a few meters away. From that point, Nines was able to focus on something else while Gavin was trying to trigger him, either reading a book or working on some kind of paper craft while Gavin did his best to elicit a reaction. Eventually, they even got to a point where Gavin could spring the exercises on Nines without warning; he would spot Nines sitting in the living room, watching tv, and would throw a paper plane over his shoulder. If Nines was feeling jumpy or if the paper plane flashed by a certain part of his peripheral, Nines would react and reach for it... but would stop himself and settle back into his seat. He was controlled, calm. Safe. 

It should have been no surprise when Nines approached Gavin in the kitchen one morning and slipped an arm around his waist, boxing him in against the counter and pressing his weight firmly into the detective. Gavin smirked and turned as best as he could, biting his lip as he looked up at the android.

"Morning Nines, you're handsy this morning," he chirped, leaning in to steal a kiss. 

Nines kissed back deeply, keeping Gavin close again his chest. It wasn't until their hips were flush against each other that Gavin realised why he was being so amorous. With a soft sound of approval, Gavin ran a hand down Nines' waist slowly. 

"And hello to you too, big boy," he added, rocking his own hips slowly into Nines'. "Feeling pretty good this morning, huh?"

"I want..." Nines started, his voice low and graveled by his software. "Want you."

A shiver ran over Gavin's spine and he looked up at Nines, not sure whether he was asking for permission or reassurance... they had fooled around a little, sure. Nines would always pull away when he started to get too worked up, but their fooling around had developed from just kissing to hands under clothes, even to the start of a hand job from Nines. It had felt good, having Nines explore his body like that, giving him the kind of affection and physical intimacy that he had been longing for over the last few years... But as Nines had watched, he had grown too excited by the sight and needed to walk away for a moment. In the end, Gavin had finished himself off while Nines listened from the other side of the door. So, to hear Nines asking for intimacy like this was surprising. Though, not entirely unwelcome.

"Sounds good to me," Gavin agreed, stretching up to kiss him again, more slowly this time. "Think you'll be ok?"

"Muzzle..." Nines suggested, then took a step back so that he could show Gavin his wrists. "Restraints."

"You kinky little fucker," Gavin teased, liking the idea more than he cared to admit. But Nines had a point. If he was muzzled and partially restrained, then he would be able to relax into the experience a little more. He would be able to experience more of what Gavin could offer him, without the constant worry of what might happen if he lost control. "You know, all jokes aside, I think that's a good idea."

Nines smiled, his teeth flashing dangerously in the space between his deceptively soft lips. He made a sound somewhere between a purr and a growl before dipping lower and hooking his hands under Gavin's thighs; he lifted the detective effortlessly, encouraging him to wrap his legs around his waist as he walked them towards the bedroom. Gavin laughed softly and clung to Nines, nuzzling happily at his neck and peppering his jaw with kisses. It had been too long since he'd gotten laid, or even had a fucking blowjob... he needed this. But only if Nines felt safe. They could take this as slow as Nines needed, Gavin was just excited to be sharing this with him.

Dropping Gavin onto the bed, Nines let the thin silk robe he'd been wearing fall open to reveal the black lingerie bra that he'd picked out for the occasion. Gavin stared, his jaw dropping open a little as he took in the sight; Nines' heavy masculine frame was softened by the bra, but it added a certain edge to him too. Not quite feminine, but definitely sexy. Gavin's gaze couldn't linger for too long without drifting lower. Nines' boxers were tightly fitted to his perfect ass, but Gavin's sight was drawn to the thick bulge of his dick as it strained against the fabric. A small whine left his throat and he blushed hard, surprised by how much the sight was affecting him. Nines smirked and turned away, reaching into the closet for his restraints (Gavin had hidden them away in the closet so that they would be easy to find if needed, but weren't on display to remind Nines of his traumatic experiences at the precinct). Gavin could see the slight tremour in Nines' hands as he regarded the muzzle, trying to reconcile his feelings about the restraints so that he could experience something positive. 

Standing slowly, Gavin reached for the muzzle and took it from him. Nines watched as the detective put the muzzle on himself, showing him that it wouldn't hurt and that the lock still worked when Gavin pressed his finger to the scanner. "See? It's ok... we can leave it off for a while, get settled in before we have to take more precautions, yeah?"

Nines nodded slightly and ran a fingertip over the muzzle strap that ran along Gavin's cheek. He smiled slightly and gestured for him to take it off, then tossed it onto one of the pillows. He brought the wrist restraints out too, seemingly a little less worried about those. Gavin took them and set them up against the bedposts, secretly pleased that his kinky former self had thought to get a bed with posts like this. Once they were set up, he offered Nines a hand and guided him to the bed, letting the android strip him out of his shirt and pajama pants. They kissed, slow and intimate. It was only by a feat of superhuman control that Gavin was able to stop and clarify a few things before they started. 

"Woah. Hold up... just so I've got this clear," he started, cupping Nines' cheek and keeping him close. "Do you want full blown sex or just oral?"

"Yes," Nines smirked, turning his face a little to tease Gavin's thumb between his jagged teeth. Gavin shivered pleasantly at the sight, trying to keep his thoughts straight. "  
"So, oral then sex. And did you want to top, or be topped?"

Nines considered this for a little longer than the previous question, his LED spinning lazy yellow spirals as he tried to envision both options. "Top. With you here."

As he spoke, Nines pulled Gavin close and rolled them so that the detective was sprawled over Nines' chest. He adjusted his weight so that he was straddling Nines' hips, and drank in the needy sound that rose from the android's throat. 

"Alright, so you want me to ride you? I can do that," he rumbled, his voice growing husky as he imagined the feel of Nines inside him. "But you have to tell me if it gets too much, ok? The restraints and the muzzle can only do so much, and I want this to be a positive experience. If you need me to slow down or stop for a moment while you get your control back, just say ‘stop’ or ‘slow’ and I'll check in, ok?"

Nines nodded his understanding and demonstrated by mimicking the words back to him; satisfied, Gavin smiled and leaned in to claim his lips once more. He pressed his palms to Nines' chest, feeling the artificial pull and press of his breathing against his palms, the way it hastened as Gavin's teeth pulled playfully at Nines' lip. Nines opened his mouth as though to do the same, but thought better of it and earned a soft laugh from Gavin. He liked this, the easy connection they'd found.. it felt right. 

Slowly, Gavin guided one of Nines' hands up towards the bedpost; he drew back from the kiss and focused on securing the restraint while Nines' other hand stroked toyingly over his skin. Once the first was secured, Gavin did the same with the second and took a moment to ensure the buckles were firmly set in place before leaning back to get a good look at his partner. 

"Oh fuck, you look good..." he groaned, rocking his hips down against Nines' experimentally. "You comfy, babe?"

Nines made a soft sound and leaned up to steal Gavin's lips in another kiss, urging him to press close again. Gavin obliged, paying close attention to the sounds Nines made, wanting to make sure he wasn't getting too lost in the moment. But Nines' voice was clear of his growl and his lips were firm without being rough. Gavin moaned against his lips, hands dancing over Nines' chest and running along the fabric of the bra. He traced a fingertip under one strap, loving the way it clung to Nines' pecs. 

"I love how this looks on you, Nines," Gavin praised, watching as Nines' cheeks burned a little bluer at the praise. "Such a good surprise. And just for me to see... fuck, you're too good. Always so good for me."

Nines mewled and rocked his hips up against Gavin's ass, earning a groan from his partner in response. Getting the hint, Gavin shifted his weight and moved his way lower, planting kisses along Nines' stomach and hip before working his boxers off with carefully slow movements. He knew that Nines wasn't going to lunge at him or anything if he moved quickly, but he wanted Nines to enjoy this, to have a chance to settle into the intimacy slowly and savour it. After all, Gavin was wildly aware that this would be Nines' first time... and he planned to make it as special as he could. 

Gavin discarded the boxers and nuzzled at Nines' thigh, reveling in the impatient little huffs and growls that Nines gave in response. Hazel green eyes met with icy blue as Gavin ran his palm over Nines' erection. The android tensed slightly, his head falling back against the pillow as the friction set off a wave of pleasure. Gavin watched him, memorizing each change in his expression as he worked him up to a steady pace. 

"That feel good, babe?" he asked, pausing to press a kiss to Nines' innermost thigh, less than an inch from Nines' cock. "Ready for a little more, or need me to wait a moment?"  
"More," came Nines' almost desperate reply. 

Smirking a little, Gavin did as he was told and offered his partner a little more stimulation. He kept eye contact as he licked delicately over the tip, slowly taking him into his mouth. Nines purred loudly, his hips rocking up into the warmth of Gavin's mouth. Pulling off, Gavin fixed him with a warning look. 

"Hey, easy. I have a gag reflex and I'm not afraid to use it," he joked, but he hoped the message was clear. He could take a little bit of 'assisted head' but if Nines got too rough, then he would need to stop. "Try to relax, we're in no rush."

Nines settled his weight further into the pillows and Gavin started up again, taking his time in working as much of Nines into his mouth as possible. Whatever he couldn't manage, he stroked in counter motions with his hand; occasionally, Gavin switched up, drawing off and pressing sloppy, open mouthed kisses along his base while his thumb rubbed circled over the tip. Each time the pattern changed or whenever Gavin picked up the pace, Nines gave out a fresh volley of groans. Gavin echoed them with his own, wanting Nines to know how much he was enjoying this. As he hollowed his cheeks slightly, trying to give Nines as much pleasurable pressure as possible, Gavin's free hand drifted to his own cock, stroking distractedly. 

Noticing the action, Nines gave a needy little huff and pulled at his restraints slightly. "Gavin..."

The detective immediately drew off and looked up to Nines, checking for any signs of distress. But Nines was licking his lips hungrily, his gaze fixed on Gavin's hips.  
"Show me..." Nines managed, the words strained and graveled. 

More than happy to oblige, Gavin adjusted his position and straddled Nines' hips again. He was already fully hard, his thick thatch of pubic hair seeming suddenly messy when compared to Nines' flawless bare skin. But Nines was entranced, his gaze fixed greedily on Gavin's hand as he worked himself up in well-practiced strokes. "You like this? Seeing me all worked up and desperate for you?"

Nines nodded slightly, his hips rocking up against Gavin's ass and drawing a moan from both of them. Getting an idea, Gavin leaned over Nines and reached for the bedside table, taking the bottle of lube from the top drawer. It had been a long time since he'd really done this with anyone, so he was going to need a lot of prep, and he figured that Nines would enjoy the view. 

Adjusting his position, Gavin knelt so that he was reverse 'cowboy' across Nines' hips, his ass perfectly presented to the android. Nines whined as Gavin pumped lube onto his fingers and worked them over his hole, teasing his fingertip just past the threshold as he tried to work the lube further in. The pressure felt good, his finger working slowly in and out of himself, pausing only momentarily to add more lube before a second finger was added. He was tight, his body needing a few moments to relax around the intrusion - Christ, how long had it been? Too long, that was the only answer that came to mind. But he took his time, allowing lube to drip messily over the backs of his thighs, trailing from his hole to his balls. 

Adding a third finger was a little tougher, especially from this angle... but Gavin braced his chest against Nines' raised knees and reached between his legs to try that instead. His fingers sank in deeper and he whined, hips instinctively rocking down into the touch. It wasn't enough. He needed it deeper, needed Nines' dick thrusting up against his prostate, making him see fucking stars. 

Panting, Gavin withdrew his fingers and looked over his shoulder at Nines, smirking slightly. "How are you holding up there, Nines?"

The android growled his impatience and rolled his hips, pupils blown wide with arousal. And fuck he looked hot. Gavin tried to move back around as elegantly as he could, but it was a bit of a challenge and he ended up bracing a hand against Nines' chest. Apparently, not too upset by this, Nines leaned into the touch and whined. Gavin could already hear the soft undercurrent of a growl lining his voice and he reached for the muzzle slowly. 

"For peace of mind, are you happy to wear the muzzle?" Gavin asked, leaning close so that Nines could see that Gavin wasn't scared of him, that this really was just a precaution.  
Nines regarded it for a moment, something like nervousness flickering in his eyes. Gavin wanted to let him do this without the mask, but he knew it would be a distraction that would detract from Nines' enjoyment. It also meant that Gavin would be safer and he could lose himself to this too. But if Nines was unwilling to wear it, or if it was going to distress him then they could find some other way around this. 

After a long moment, Nines nodded and leaned forward so that Gavin could secure it for him. Closing the distance between them, Gavin peppered kisses over Nines' forehead and cheeks, earning a smile before the muzzle was put in place. He wanted this to be a positive experience, for this symbol of his captivity to become something more enjoyable. So, Gavin turned up the praise and ran his fingers through Nines' hair between the straps. 

"You're so good for me, Nines. Letting me put this on you, letting me touch you like this, letting me ride your cock," Gavin practically purred, resting their foreheads together. "God, you look sexy. Like you could pin me to the mattress and fucking rail me for hours without stopping. Maybe one day, you will. But right now, all you have to do is lie back and let me take care of you. Ok?"

Nines' rough inhalations smoothed out, quiet groans spilling over his lips as Gavin ground his hips down against his cock. The muzzle was almost completely forgotten as Gavin reached back and pumped Nines back to full hardness, slathering excess lube over his shaft. Taking a steadying breath, Gavin forced himself to relax and lowered himself onto Nines with a soft gasp. The stretch was a little intense at first, his body tightening around Nines' cock before he was able to relax and take a little more. 

"Fuck, you feel so good," Gavin groaned, raising himself a little higher on his knees, only to sink back onto him with a soft cry.

As he worked up a steady rhythm, Gavin braced his hands against Nines' chest and let himself focus on the way Nines' cock filled him up, brushing over his prostate with each deep roll of their hips. Once his body had grown accustomed to the intrusion, Gavin shifted his weight a little and ground his hips down harder, drinking in the breathless groans that tumbled over Nines' lips. He was beautiful - all angular features and pointed teeth, but softened into something like vulnerability. Like happiness. 

Judging from the way Nines was groaning and bucking into each roll of Gavin's hips, he wasn't going to last long. But then, neither was Gavin. Holding his weight steady, Gavin bounced on his dick desperately, trying to get just a little bit more... just a little something to get him over the edge. 

"Fuck, Nines. You feel so fucking good. I'm gonna fucking cum on your cock," he rambled, delirious with pleasure as he brought a hand to his own erection and stroked himself off in time with his thrusts. 

"Gavin..." Nines' cracked voice came back to him, his teeth bared and arm tense against the restraints as his own climax drew close. "Please..."

With a low cry, Gavin came hard. He rode it out as best he could, his hips stuttering in an uneven rhythm. But the sight of Gavin's climax, mixed with the intoxicating pulse of his body was enough to bring Nines over the edge with him. The android groaned loudly, bucking his hips up into Gavin mindlessly as his climax set off countless alerts through his HUD.

Shaking ever so slightly, Gavin reached out and undid the muzzle, drawing Nines in for a loving kiss as he carefully drew off. His hands fumbled with buckles while Nines kept his mouth busy with lazy, open mouthed kisses; his teeth occasionally catching on Gavin's lip or tongue, but neither of them could bring themselves to care too much. Once his arms were free, Nines wrapped himself around Gavin and cuddled up close as they recovered, both grinning widely. 

"Holy shit... that felt incredible," Gavin praised, nuzzling into Nines' neck and holding him tightly. 

"You're incr... in... you're good," Nines struggled to force the word out and switched it, but Gavin smiled all the same. He knew what Nines had meant.

"...I love you," Gavin said quietly, letting himself be vulnerable, if only just for a moment. It was harder to be defensive when he was sated like this, safe in his lover's arms. 

"Love you too," Nines answered smoothly, nuzzling into Gavin's hair. 

And the best thing was, Gavin believed him. 


	11. Chapter 11

In the weeks that followed, Nines was able to develop his control to the point where the muzzle and restraints were no longer required. His prey drive was gradually broken down and deprioritised until Nines was able to delete it completely. The same happened for his combat training modules, his physical limit breakers and his military tactic protocols. Instead, he was able to use the newly freed-up storage space to develop his spoken language skills and his capacity for human skills such as cooking and paper crafts. By the time Gavin announced their training complete, Nines had grown more independent and was confident in his ability to make decisions based on reason rather than impulse. And Gavin's biggest fear proved to be baseless. Nines still loved him, even when given a choice to walk away or find a new life elsewhere. He didn't want a new life, didn't want to meet new people or try his luck with someone else. He loved Gavin, and Gavin loved him. That was enough for him.

When Gavin escorted Nines to the assessment center for his official stamp of approval, the guards seemed skittish. Nines smirked slightly, finding their caution funny, given how far he had progressed in recent months. But as Nines demonstrated his self control before the board of governors, they gradually relaxed and loosened their grip on their holstered weapons. They tried everything to trigger Nines, from flashing lights to letting K9 units run loose in the pen; at one point, an officer ushered Nines' old 'attack' command, but it was no longer functional. He was free now, and there was nothing they could do to force him back to that animalistic state. 

The only person who could was Gavin, and that was something they kept to themselves and the bedroom.


End file.
